FNSC3180 Food Microbiology, Chinese Univ of Hong Kong, by HS Kwan: Codex News

The U.S. Codex Program is an interagency partnership that engages stakeholders in advancing science-based food standards

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A reminder that the U.S. Codex Program's website is now located at www.usda.gov/codex. The U.S. Codex Office will complete transitioning all materials to this new site address in the next few weeks, after which the former site will only have a few specific redirects. Please make sure to go to www.usda.gov/codex for the most up-to-date information.

Public Meetings

Ad Hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR)

The U.S. Codex Program is sponsoring a public meeting on November 8, 2018, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. EST to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 6^th Session of the TFAMR in Busan, Republic of Korea, December 10-14, 2018. The public meeting will take place at the USDA in the Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250. Documents related to the 6^thSession of the TFAMR are accessible here: www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en.

Donald A. Prater, U.S. Delegate to the 6^th Session of the TFAMR, invites interested U.S. parties to submit their comments electronically to donald.prater@fda.hhs.gov.
For any questions related to the meeting, email Ken Lowery (ken.lowery@osec.usda.gov).
Please register to attend by emailing uscodex@osec.usda.gov by November 1, 2018. Early registration is encouraged to expedite entry into the building. Attendees should bring photo identification and plan for adequate time to pass through federal building security screening systems.
Attendees who are not able to attend in person, but who wish to participate, may do so by phone/conference call; please use the call-in number: 1-888-844-9904, participant code 5126092.

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)

The U.S. Codex Program is sponsoring a public meeting on December 5, 2018, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. EST to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 4^th session of the CCSCH in Thiruvananthapuram, India, January 21–25, 2019. The public meeting will take place at the USDA in the Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250. Documents related to the 4^thSession of the CCSCH are accessible here: www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en.

Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate to the 4^th Session of the CCSCH, invites interested U.S. parties to submit their comments electronically to dorian.lafond@ams.usda.gov.
For any questions related to the meeting, email Marie Maratos (marie.maratos@osec.usda.gov).
Please register to attend by emailing uscodex@osec.usda.gov by November 20, 2018. Early registration is encouraged to expedite entry into the building. Attendees should bring photo identification and plan for adequate time to pass through federal building security screening systems.
Attendees who are not able to attend in person, but who wish to participate, may do so by phone/conference call; please use the call-in number: 1-888-844-9904, participant code 5126092.

Reminders and New Requests for Comments

Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV)

Matters referred on Methods of Analysis and Sampling: CCPFV invites Members and Observers to join an eWG, chaired by the United States, working in English, to develop responses to matters referred from the Codex Committee of Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) (See CL 2018/22-PFV, para 9). The deadline for Individuals in the U.S. interested in working on the U.S. contributions to the eWG has passed. Other members and observers should send their full contact details, including participant's name, official title or position, organization or country, and email address to their CCP with a copy to richard.peterson@ams.usda.gov, uscodex@osec.usda.gov, and dorian.lafond@ams.usda.gov by November 6, 2018. Note that when there is more than one expert, each country or Observer Organization shall designate one as the official representative to participate in the eWG.

U.S. Codex Office

U.S. Codex Program Strategic Plan FY2019-2023: The U.S. Codex Office is finalizing the U.S. Codex Program's FY2019-2023 Strategic Plan. If you are interested in commenting on the Plan's Goals and Objectives, please send your responses to Sarah Lynch (sarah.lynch@osec.usda.gov) by November 8, 2018.

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)

Dried Chili Peppers and Paprika: The Codex Secretariat has issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/57/OCS-CCSCH) requesting comments at Step 3 on the Proposed Draft Standard for Dried Chili Peppers and Paprika. The CL is currently available in English at the following link: www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/resources/circular-letters/en. If you are interested in having your comments considered in the U.S. response, please send your comments to Marie Maratos (marie.maratos@osec.usda.gov) by November 6, 2018. Comments by other Observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by November 9, 2018.

TFAMR Guidelines on Integrated Surveillance of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance: The Codex Secretariat has issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/75-OCS-AMR) requesting comments at Step 3 on the proposed draft Guidelines for the integrated monitoring and surveillance of foodborne antimicrobial resistance. The CL is currently available in English at the following link: www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/resources/circular-letters/en. Codex members and observers are requested to comment on the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the Electronic Working Group (eWG) to assist the 5^th Session of the Ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR05) in progressing this work in particular as to those sections that need further development in the Guidelines. In addition, for section 7.3 of CX/AMR 18/6/6 general comments are requested on the following:

Proposed stepwise approach for the establishment of an integrated monitoring and surveillance of foodborne AMR.
Each of the components i.e. AMR, AMU and Analysis/Reporting.
Programs A, B and C of each of the components, in particular whether they fit the different situations of countries' capabilities to develop programs for integrated monitoring and surveillance of foodborne AMR.

If you are interested in having your comments considered in the U.S. response, please send them to Ken Lowery (ken.lowery@osec.usda.gov) by November 10, 2018. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by November 15, 2018.

Minimize and Contain Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance: The Codex Secretariat has issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/74-OCS-AMR-Rev) requesting comments at Step 3 on the proposed draft revision of the Code of Practice to minimize and contain foodborne antimicrobial resistance. The CL is currently available in English at the following link: www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimenarius/resources/circular-letters/en. Codex members and observers are invited to submit:

General comments on the Code of Practice
General comments on the points raised under paragraph 16 of the summary report of the Electronic Working Group (CX/AMR 18/6/5), namely:
- Definition of plants/crops
- Plant/crop health professional
- Antimicrobials vs. antibacterials
- Medically important antimicrobials
- Medically important antibacterials
- General principles
- Stepwise approach
- Surveillance and monitoring programs
- Alternatives to antimicrobials
- Practices during production, processing, storage, transport, retail, and distribution of food
Specific technical comments on different sections of the Code of Practice.

If you are interested in having your comments considered in the U.S. response, please send your comments to Ken Lowery (ken.lowery@osec.usda.gov) by November 20, 2018. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their Codex Contact Points (CCP) using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by November 25, 2018.

Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO)

Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils: The Codex Secretariat has issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/76/OCS-CCFO) requesting comments at Step 3 on the proposed draft revision of the Standard for Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils (CXS 33-1981). The CL is currently available in English at the following link: www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/resources/circular-letters/en. Please note that comments are requested for Sections 3 and 8 and the Appendix of the Standard. If you are interested in having your comments considered in the U.S. response, please send your comments to Marie Maratos (marie.maratos@osec.usda.gov) by December 3, 2018. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their Codex Contact Points using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by December 7, 2018.